Aerosol generating device and its control method

Abstract

An aerosol generating device and a control method thereof, the control method including the steps of: after receiving a heating start command, entering multiple time stages and controlling a power source accordingly to supply energy to the heater multiple times; and when the supplied energy reaches a set energy corresponding to the current time stage, controlling the power source to stop supplying energy for the current time stage. By controlling based on the heat required by the aerosol-forming substrate at different stages, the amount of aerosol during inhalation can be satisfied, and the inhalation experience of the user can be further improved.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] (CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS) This application claims priority to a Chinese patent application bearing application number 202211488324.5 and entitled "Aerosol generating device and control method therefor," filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China on November 25, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present application relates to the technical field of aerosol generation, and in particular to an aerosol generating device and a method for controlling the same. [Background technology]

[0003] Articles such as cigarettes and cigars burn tobacco to produce tobacco smoke during use. Efforts have been made to create alternatives to these tobacco-burning articles that release compounds without combustion. One example of such a product is a so-called heat-and-burn product, also known as a tobacco heating product or tobacco heating device, which releases compounds by heating rather than burning a material. The material may be tobacco or other non-tobacco products, or a combination thereof, such as a blended mixture with or without nicotine.

[0004] In conventional aerosol generating devices, a temperature curve must be preset, and during the heating process, the heater temperature must be monitored in real time by a heater temperature sensor, and the heater power output must be controlled based on the real-time temperature so that the heater temperature conforms to the preset temperature curve. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In one aspect, the present application provides a method for controlling an aerosol generating device including a heater for heating an aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol, and a power source for supplying energy to the heater, the method comprising: and controlling the power source to energize the heater multiple times at multiple time stages after receiving a heating start command, During one of the time steps, controlling the power supply to energize the heater for the current time step comprises: controlling the power supply to initiate energy supply to the heater for a current time step; determining the energy supplied in the current time step; and when the supplied energy reaches a set energy corresponding to the current time stage, controlling the power source to stop the energy supply for the current time stage.

[0006] In another aspect of the present application, a heater for heating the aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol; a power source for supplying energy to the heater; a controller configured to control the power source to energize the heater multiple times at multiple time stages after receiving a heating start command, During one of the time steps, controlling the power supply to energize the heater for the current time step comprises: controlling the power supply to initiate energy supply to the heater for a current time step; determining the energy supplied in the current time step; and when the supplied energy reaches a set energy corresponding to the current time stage, controlling the power source to stop the energy supply for the current time stage.

[0007] In another aspect of the present application, a heater for heating the aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol; a power source for supplying energy to the heater; and a controller configured to enter multiple time stages after receiving a heating start command, and accordingly control the power source to supply energy to the heater multiple times, and in one of the time stages, control the power source to start supplying energy to the heater for the current time stage, determine the energy supplied for the current time stage, and, when the energy supplied from the power source reaches a set energy corresponding to the current time stage, control the power source to stop supplying energy for the current time stage.

[0008] Another aspect of the present application is a heater for heating the aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol; a power source for supplying energy to the heater; and a controller configured to control the power source to supply energy to the heater at multiple time stages after receiving a heating start command, correspondingly according to the set energy and natural cooling time of each time stage.

[0009] In a further aspect of the present application, a heater for heating the aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol; a power source for supplying energy to the heater; a controller configured to control the power source to supply energy to the heater in a plurality of time stages of the inhalation actuation phase according to a set energy and a natural cooling time of each time stage; The aerosol generating device has at least two time stages in the inhalation actuation stage with the same set energy and natural cooling time.

[0010] The aerosol generating device and control method provided herein receive a heating start command and then supply energy to the heater multiple times in multiple time steps. For example, in one of the time steps, the device controls the power supply to start supplying energy to the heater, monitors whether the supplied energy reaches the preset energy for the current time step, and, if so, controls the power supply to stop the energy supply. This control mode realizes power output to the heater and controls it based on the actual energy required by the heater and / or aerosol-forming substrate, with reduced or no dependence on the real-time temperature of the heater. Compared with conventional methods that control the energy based on the real-time temperature of the heater, this control mode first controls the energy supply to the heater based on the fundamental demand, i.e., the energy actually required by the aerosol-forming substrate at each time step, thereby improving the taste of the aerosol-forming substrate for inhalation and enhancing the user's inhalation experience. Second, it avoids the problem of insufficient heat absorption by the aerosol-forming substrate due to inaccurate real-time heater temperature. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] One or more embodiments are illustratively described by corresponding drawing figures, but these illustrative descriptions are not intended to be limiting of the embodiments, and in the drawings, elements with the same reference numerals are designated as similar elements, and unless otherwise specified, the drawings are not drawn to scale. [Figure 1] 1 is a structural schematic diagram of an aerosol-generating product provided in an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 2] 1 is a structural schematic diagram of an aerosol generating device provided in an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 3] 1 is a flowchart of a method for controlling an aerosol generating device provided in one embodiment of the present application. [Figure 4] 1 is a flowchart of a method for controlling an aerosol generating device provided in one embodiment of the present application. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a voltage regulation circuit of an aerosol generating device provided in one embodiment of the present application. [Figure 6] 1 is a flowchart of a method for controlling an aerosol generating device provided in one embodiment of the present application. [Figure 7] 1 is a flowchart of a method for controlling an aerosol generating device provided in one embodiment of the present application. [Figure 8A] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a supply voltage in a pre-heating operation stage provided in an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 8B] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a supply voltage in a pre-heating operation stage provided in an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 8C] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a supply voltage in a pre-heating operation stage provided in an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 8D] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a supply voltage in a pre-heating operation stage provided in an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 9A] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the supply voltage during the inhalation actuation phase provided in one embodiment of the present application. [Figure 9B] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the supply voltage during the inhalation actuation phase provided in one embodiment of the present application. [Figure 9C] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the supply voltage during the inhalation actuation phase provided in one embodiment of the present application. [Figure 10A] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a real-time temperature curve of a heater provided in an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 10B] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a real-time temperature curve of a heater provided in an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of real-time temperature curves and output power of a heater provided in one embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] In order to facilitate understanding of the present application, the present application will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that when an element is described as being "fixed" to another element, it may be directly located on the other element, or there may be one or more intervening elements therebetween. When an element is described as being "connected" to another element, it may be directly connected to the other element, or there may be one or more intervening elements therebetween. The terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "inner," "outer," and similar descriptions used herein are for illustrative purposes only.

[0013] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application pertains. As used herein, the terms used in the specification of this application are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to be limiting of this application. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0014] The drawings may show only elements relevant to the present embodiment, and those skilled in the art will understand that the drawings may also include other common elements in addition to the elements shown in the drawings.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a structural schematic diagram of an aerosol-generating product provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1, the aerosol-generating product 20 includes a filter segment 21 and a substrate segment 22 .

[0017] The substrate segment 22 comprises an aerosol-forming substrate, which is a substrate capable of releasing a volatile compound that can form an aerosol, the volatile compound being capable of being released by heating the aerosol-forming substrate.

[0018] The aerosol-forming substrate may be a solid aerosol-forming substrate. Alternatively, the aerosol-forming substrate may comprise solid and liquid components. The aerosol-forming substrate may comprise a tobacco-containing material containing volatile tobacco flavor compounds that are released from the aerosol-forming substrate upon heating. Alternatively, the aerosol-forming substrate may comprise a non-tobacco material. The aerosol-forming substrate may further comprise an aerosol former. Examples of suitable aerosol formers include glycerol and propylene glycol.

[0019] The aerosol generated by heating the substrate segment 22 is delivered to the user through the filter segment 21, which may be a cellulose acetate filter. The filter segment 21 may be sprayed with a flavoring liquid to provide flavor, or additional fibers coated with a flavoring liquid may be inserted into the filter segment 21 to improve the persistence of the flavor delivered to the user. The filter segment 21 may have spherical or cylindrical capsules, which may contain a flavoring substance content.

[0020] The aerosol-generating product 20 may further include a cooling segment 23 disposed between the substrate segment 22 and the filter segment 21, the cooling segment 23 being used to cool the aerosol generated by heating the substrate segment 22 so that the user can inhale the aerosol cooled to an appropriate temperature.

[0021] FIG. 2 is a structural schematic diagram of the aerosol generating device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0022] 1 and 2, the aerosol generating device 10 includes a battery cell 101, a controller 102, and a heater 103. The aerosol generating device 10 also has an interior space defined by a housing, into which an aerosol-generating product 20 can be inserted.

[0023] The battery cell 101, which is a power source, is used to supply power for operating the aerosol generating device 10. For example, the battery cell 101 can supply power for heating the heater 103, and can also supply power necessary for operating the controller 102. The battery cell 101 can also supply power necessary for operating a display device, a sensor, a motor, etc. provided in the aerosol generating device 10.

[0024] The battery cell 101 may be, but is not limited to, a lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery. For example, the battery cell 101 may be a lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) battery or a lithium titanate battery. The battery cell 101 may be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery.

[0025] When the aerosol-generating product 20 is inserted into the aerosol-generating device 10, the aerosol-generating device 10 can heat the heater 103 using power supplied from the battery cell 101. The heater 103 raises the temperature of the aerosol-forming substrate in the aerosol-generating product 20, generating an aerosol. The generated aerosol is sent through the filter segment 21 of the aerosol-generating product 20 to be inhaled by the user.

[0026] The heater 103 and the aerosol-forming substrate may adopt various heating compatible shapes. For example, a heater 103 adopting a central heating method may be shaped like a needle, sheet, pin, or the like and inserted into the aerosol-forming substrate, with the outer periphery of the heater 103 in contact or nearly in contact (as close as possible) with the aerosol-forming substrate to achieve heat transfer. A heater 103 adopting a peripheral heating method is usually hollow cylindrical, with the aerosol-forming substrate placed inside the hollow cylinder of the heater 103 and the inner wall of the heater 103 in contact or nearly in contact (as close as possible) with the outer periphery of the aerosol-forming substrate to achieve heat transfer.

[0027] The heater 103 can employ various heating methods, such as heating the aerosol-forming substrate by one or more of resistive heat conduction, electromagnetic induction, chemical reaction, infrared action, resonance, photoelectric conversion, photothermal conversion, and air heating.

[0028] The controller 102 can control the operation of the main components within the aerosol generating device 10. In particular, the controller 102 can control the operation of the battery cell 101 and the heater 103, and can also control the operation of other components within the aerosol generating device 10.

[0029] The controller 102 is further configured to execute a control method for the aerosol generating device 10 .

[0030] The controller 102 includes at least one processor, which may include a logic gate array or may include a general-purpose microprocessor in combination with memory in which programs executable by the microprocessor are stored.

[0031] For example, the controller 102 controls the operation of the heater 103. The controller 102 can control the amount of power supplied to the heater 103, the time for which power continues to be supplied to the heater 103, and the stopping of power supply to the heater 103. The controller 102 can also monitor the status of the battery cells 101 (e.g., the remaining charge of the battery cells 101) and / or the operating status of the heater 103 (e.g., the change in resistance of the heater 103), and can generate a notification signal to notify a user when necessary.

[0032] In addition to the battery cell 101, the controller 102, and the heater 103, the aerosol generating device 10 may further include other general-purpose components. For example, the aerosol generating device 10 may include a display device for outputting visual information, which may be a visual display component such as a display screen, a touch screen, or a lighting assembly. The controller 102 may transmit to a user information regarding the status of the aerosol generating device 10 (e.g., whether the aerosol generating device 10 is ready for use), information regarding the heater 103 (e.g., whether preheating has started, preheating is in progress, or preheating is complete), information regarding the battery cell 101 (e.g., the remaining charge of the battery cell 101, whether the battery cell 101 is ready for use), information regarding resetting the aerosol generating device 10 (e.g., reset time, reset in progress, or reset complete), information regarding cleaning the aerosol generating device 10 (e.g., cleaning time, cleaning required, cleaning in progress, or cleaning complete), information regarding charging the aerosol generating device 10 (e.g., charging required, charging in progress, or charging complete), information regarding inhalation (e.g., the number of inhalations, an inhalation completion notification), or safety information (e.g., usage time). For example, the aerosol generating device 10 may further include a vibration motor for outputting tactile feedback information, and the controller 102 may use the vibration motor to generate a vibration feedback signal and transmit the information to the user. For example, the aerosol generating device 10 may further include an airflow sensor for detecting whether the user has inhaled and / or the strength of the inhalation. For example, the aerosol generating device 10 may include at least one input device for controlling functions of the aerosol generating device 10. Specifically, the input device may include a button, a touch screen, or the like. The user can execute various functions by using the input device. For example, a desired function of the aerosol generating device 10 can be executed by adjusting the number of times the user presses the input device (e.g., once or twice) or the duration for which the user holds down the input device (e.g., 0.1 s or 0.2 s).The user can also use the input device to perform functions such as heating the heater 103, adjusting the temperature of the heater 103, cleaning the space in which the aerosol generating product 20 is inserted, checking whether the aerosol generating device 10 is operational, displaying the remaining charge (usable power) of the battery cell 101, and resetting the aerosol generating device 10, but the functions of the aerosol generating device 10 are not limited to these.

[0033] 3 is a flowchart of a method for controlling an aerosol generating device provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 3, the controller 102 is configured to execute the method for controlling the aerosol generating device 10, which includes the following steps:

[0034] In step S11, at multiple time stages after receiving the heating start command, the power supply is controlled accordingly to supply energy to the heater 103 multiple times.

[0035] After receiving a heating start command, the controller 102 can control the heater 103 to start heating, and the heating process of the heater 103 includes multiple time stages, and these multiple time stages may be distributed throughout the entire operating stages of the aerosol generating device 10, including the pre-heating operating stage and the inhalation operating stage, or may be distributed only in the pre-heating operating stage, or may be distributed only in the inhalation operating stage.

[0036] Here, the pre-heating operating phase refers to an operating phase in which the temperature of the aerosol-forming substrate is raised to a temperature sufficient to generate a satisfactory amount of aerosol. At this stage, aerosol can be generated, but is typically unlikely to be inhaled by a user outside the aerosol-generating device 10. For example, at the end of the pre-heating operating phase, the aerosol-forming substrate may have reached a temperature at which volatile components contained in tobacco are released.

[0037] Here, the inhalation actuation stage refers to an actuation stage in which aerosol is generated from the aerosol generating device 10 at a satisfactory rate and can be inhaled by the user.

[0038] Here, the end time of the pre-heating operation phase corresponds to the start time of the inhalation operation phase, and the aerosol generating device 10 may notify the user by components such as a vibration motor or a visual display assembly, notifying the user that the aerosol generating device 10 has entered the inhalation operation phase and is ready to perform the inhalation operation.

[0039] Here, the heating start command may be a signal generated by the user operating an input element, or may be obtained based on a sensor detection signal, such as a predetermined position arrival trigger signal detected by a pressure sensor or electrical parameter sensor, etc., when the aerosol generating product 20 has been inserted into a predetermined position in the aerosol generating device 10, or a signal detected by an airflow sensor when the user inhales and the start of heating is initiated.

[0040] Here, the controller 102 controls the power supply 101 to supply energy to the heater 103 multiple times, all of which are performed strictly in accordance with the supply energies (also referred to as set energies) corresponding to each preset time step. The supply energies corresponding to these multiple time steps may be stored in advance in a memory within the aerosol generating device 10 so as to be acquired by the controller 102. The supply energies corresponding to these multiple time steps may also be stored in an external device connected to the aerosol generating device 10, such as a cloud server, a memory of a charging box, or an internal memory connected to the aerosol generating device 10, and the controller 102 can acquire and refer to them from the external memory or server during operation.

[0041] Here, the set energy may be an experimental value or an empirical value obtained based on a large amount of test experiments conducted by the applicant in consideration of the material of the specific aerosol-forming substrate after the installation design of the aerosol-generating device 10 is completed. It can be understood that the set energy can be adjusted based on the heat retention performance of the heating module, and can also be adjusted based on the heat transfer rate between the aerosol-forming substrate and the heater 103, etc.

[0042] In some embodiments, the set energy is different for at least two time stages. For example, in the early stage of the pre-heating actuation stage (first time stage, also called the heat-up stage), the heating requirement is for the heater 103 to rapidly reach its maximum temperature and increase the rate of heat transfer between the heater 103 and the aerosol-forming substrate. In the middle and later stages of the pre-heating actuation stage (second time stage, also called the warm-up stage), the heating requirement is to maintain heat transfer between the aerosol-forming substrate and the heater 103 so that the aerosol-forming substrate can continue to absorb heat from the heater 103. Therefore, the set energy for the first time stage is much greater than the set energy for the second time stage, and may even be as much as 8:2 or 9:1 greater. For example, in the inhalation actuation stage, the set energy for at least one time stage in the early stage of the inhalation actuation stage may be greater than the set energy for at least one time stage in the later stage of the inhalation actuation stage in order to increase the amount of smoke delivered in the early stage of the inhalation actuation stage.

[0043] In some embodiments, the set energy corresponding to at least two time stages is the same. For example, in the inhalation actuation stage (also called the constant temperature stage), the heating requirement is to compensate for heat loss from the aerosol-forming substrate and ensure that aerosol is generated at a constant rate. Because the heat loss from the aerosol-forming substrate due to inhalation is very small, the same set energy can be supplied to multiple time stages of the inhalation actuation stage, and it is only necessary to compensate for other fixed heat losses from the aerosol-forming substrate. For example, in the later stage of the pre-heating actuation stage (the second time stage, the warming stage), the heating requirement is to maintain heat transfer between the aerosol-forming substrate and the heater 103 so that the aerosol-forming substrate can continue to absorb heat from the heater 103. Therefore, in the warming stage, the same set energy can also be supplied, and it is necessary to compensate for fixed heat losses from the heater 103 due to other causes at regular intervals to prevent the temperature of the heater 103 from decreasing significantly, thereby maintaining heat transfer between the aerosol-forming substrate and the heater 103.

[0044] Hereinafter, taking one of the time steps as an example, and referring to FIG. 4, the process of controlling the power supply 101 to supply energy to the heater 103 at the current time step (step S12) will be described in detail, specifically including the following steps:

[0045] In step S121, the power supply is controlled to start supplying energy to the heater 103 at the current time stage.

[0046] The controller 102 obtains the set energy of the current time step, and controls the battery cell 101 to supply power according to the set energy, and supplies the set energy to the heater 103 .

[0047] Here, the power supplied by the controller 102 may be the maximum real-time power that the battery cell 101 can supply. In this case, as the capacity of the battery cell decreases, the duration of the energy supplied from the battery cell 101 to the heater 103 also increases.

[0048] Here, the power supplied by the controller 102 may be stable power output by the battery cell 101 after passing through a voltage regulation circuit. Specifically, the aerosol generating device 10 further includes a voltage regulation circuit coupled between the heater 103 and the battery cell 101, and the voltage regulation circuit includes a step-up circuit and / or a step-down circuit, such as a BUCK-BOOST conversion circuit shown in FIG. 5. It will be understood that the voltage regulation circuit is not limited to a BUCK-BOOST conversion circuit, and may be at least one of a BOOST conversion circuit, a BUCK conversion circuit, a CUK conversion circuit, a ZETA conversion circuit, and a SEPIC conversion circuit.

[0049] Here, the process of the controller 102 supplying power may be continuous and uninterrupted, thereby more effectively compensating for heat loss in the heater 103 and the aerosol-forming substrate. Taking one time step as an example, the time during which the controller 102 continuously outputs power occupies only a portion of the current time step, and this portion is referred to herein as the energy supply time. In some embodiments, the energy supply time is variable, and the controller 102 controls the energy supply based on the set energy and real-time output power of the current time step, but the energy supply time is not limited. In some embodiments, when the output power of the power source 102 is stable, the energy supply time may be preset. Therefore, the controller 102 may determine the output power based on the set energy and preset energy supply time of the current time step. In some embodiments, for example, when energy is supplied to the heater 103 within the energy supply time, its temperature typically begins to rise, and the rate of temperature rise is determined by the set energy, actual power output, etc.

[0050] In the inhalation operation phase, when the current time step occurs in synchronization with the user's inhalation action, due to the frequency setting of multiple time steps in the inhalation operation phase, there is energy supply for at least one time step within the time of one inhalation action (approximately 5 seconds), the heat lost by the inhalation action is extremely small, and only a slight jitter occurs in the temperature change process of the heater 103, and the heat of the heater 103 and the aerosol forming substrate can still be replenished in a timely manner, so that the temperature of the heater 103 can still maintain fluctuations within a certain temperature range without a significant temperature drop.

[0051] It should be emphasized that the energy supply in multiple time steps provided by this solution is intended to meet the thermal requirements of the aerosol-forming substrate at each step, and only requires low-frequency energy supply. Therefore, the energy supply time for each time step is 500 ms (milliseconds) or more, preferably 1 s or more, or a frequency of ≦2 Hz. In conventional PWM control, the output frequency is usually about 100 Hz to achieve accurate power output, but this is a high-frequency output, which is not the purpose of this solution.

[0052] In step S122, the energy delivered in the current time step is determined.

[0053] When the controller 102 outputs power, it synchronously counts the delivered energy that has been output.

[0054] In some embodiments, the detection circuit may detect electrical parameters such as the voltage, current and / or resistance of the heater 103, and the duration of supply (energy supply time), and then the energy supplied to the heater 103 can be calculated based on the formula energy Q=P*t=U^2 / R*t=I^2*R*t=U*I*t.

[0055] In some embodiments, if some electrical parameters are kept constant during the heating process of the heater 103, for example, if a constant voltage or current is supplied to the heater 103, or if the resistance of the heater 103 is kept constant, the supplied energy may be indirectly characterized by monitoring only some of the electrical parameters or the time they are continuously supplied.

[0056] In step S123, it is determined whether the energy supplied at the current time stage has reached the set energy corresponding to the current time stage.

[0057] The controller 102 compares whether the supplied energy has reached the set energy, and if not, continues to supply energy, and if it has reached, proceeds to step S124.

[0058] In step S124, if the supplied energy reaches the set energy corresponding to the current time stage, the power source is controlled to stop the energy supply for the current time stage.

[0059] The controller 102 stops supplying energy to the heater 103 for a certain period of time, which is referred to herein as the natural cooling time. In some embodiments, the natural cooling time is preset and is related to factors such as the heat retention capacity of the heating module and the heat transfer requirements between the heater 103 and the aerosol-forming substrate. Therefore, after completing the energy supply for the current time step, the controller 102 stops supplying energy to the heater 103 within the preset natural cooling time and determines by timing whether the natural cooling time has reached a cutoff time. In some embodiments, the natural cooling time does not need to be directly set, and whether to end the natural cooling time can be determined by, for example, detecting the real-time temperature of the heater 103. In this case, the natural cooling time can vary over multiple time steps.

[0060] During the natural cooling time, since no energy is supplied to the heater 103, the temperature of the heater 103 begins to drop naturally, and the temperature loss in this part is due to heat loss between the heater 103 and the outside world / aerosol forming substrate, and during the inhalation activation phase, heat loss due to the inhalation operation may be superimposed.

[0061] With the end of the natural cooling time, the current time stage also officially ends. If the total operating time of the aerosol generating device 10 at this time (or if a preset number of inhalation puffs is reached) reaches a preset threshold, or if the controller 102 receives a command to end heating, the operation of the aerosol generating device 10 ends and does not proceed to the next time stage. In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 4, after the current time stage ends, the next time stage (step S12') is entered, and the above steps S121 to S124 must be repeated.

[0062] 6 and 7 illustrate the transition process between the current time step and the next time step.

[0063] 6, after ending the energy supply for the current time stage, the controller 102 enters the natural cooling time for the current time stage and starts timing it. When the natural cooling time reaches a preset cutoff time, the controller 102 ends the current time stage and enters the next time stage. In this case, the controller 102 can directly supply energy and transition between multiple time stages according to the set energy and natural cooling time for each time stage. In this manner, the controller 102 does not need to consider the real-time temperature of the heater 103 when starting or stopping the energy supply for the current time stage, but only needs to strictly follow the set parameters such as the set energy and natural cooling time for each time stage. This eliminates the adverse effects of the temperature of the heater 103 and controls the temperature based on the actual heat that needs to be absorbed by the aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol.

[0064] In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the aerosol generating device 10 further includes a temperature sensor for detecting the real-time temperature of the heater 103. After terminating the energy supply for the current time step, the controller 102 enters a natural cooling period for the current time step and synchronously detects the real-time temperature of the heater 103 during the natural cooling period. If the real-time temperature meets a preset low-temperature threshold (e.g., T3 in FIGS. 10A-10B), the controller 102 terminates the current time step and enters the next time step, starting the energy supply for the next time step. In this manner, only the real-time temperature of the heater 103 needs to be referenced to determine when to start the time step for supplying energy to the heater 103. However, the energy supply within a time step, e.g., when to stop the energy supply within a time step, is still determined strictly according to the set energy for each time step. Similarly, the influence of differences in the real-time temperature of the heater 103 on temperature control can be eliminated, and temperature control is based on the heat required to be absorbed by the aerosol-forming substrate to generate aerosol.

[0065] 8A to 8D show schematic diagrams of various forms of supply voltage in the pre-heating operation phase. The pre-heating operation phase t0 to t2 includes a number of time phases (t0-t12), (t12-t14), (t14-t16), . . .

[0066] After receiving the heating start command, the controller 102 officially enters the preheating operation stage and starts supplying energy in the first time stage (t0-t12). At this time, the controller 102 supplies the maximum output voltage U0 to the heater 103 for a certain period of time (energy supply time, t0-t11). The controller 102 synchronously calculates the supplied energy. When the supplied energy reaches the set value Q1 of the first time stage, the controller 102 controls the power supply 101 to stop power output for a certain period of time (natural cooling time, t11-t12). When the natural cooling time t11-t12 reaches the set time of the first time stage, the first time stage ends, and the second time stage (t12-t14) begins, starting power output.

[0067] In some embodiments, the input voltage of the heater 103 during the first time stage may be kept constant. Preferably, the natural cooling time during the first time stage in this case does not exceed 3 seconds.

[0068] In some embodiments, the power (output voltage) supplied from the controller 102 to the heater 103 is reduced at least once in the latter part of the first time stage, thereby providing sustained high-power energy to the heater 103 within the first time stage while maintaining heat transfer between the aerosol-forming substrate 20 and the heater 103 with a smaller power output, preventing temperature overshoot in the heater 103 and improving the user's inhalation experience. In this case, as shown in Figures 10A-10B, the temperature of the heater 103 rises rapidly from an initial temperature to a maximum temperature and then drops slightly parabolically.

[0069] Here, the power adjustment in the latter stage of the first time period can be realized in various forms. For example, as shown in Fig. 8A, the input voltage of the heater 103 decreases in multiple steps over time, where the duration / reduction amplitude of the voltage of each step can be adjusted according to actual needs. As shown in Fig. 8B, the input voltage of the heater 103 decreases in a single step over time. As shown in Fig. 8C, the input voltage of the heater 103 decreases linearly over time, where it may decrease linearly with a constant slope or linearly with a changing slope. As shown in Fig. 8D, the input voltage of the heater 103 changes in a wave-like manner over time, that is, the input voltage of the heater 103 rises and falls.

[0070] Here, the duration (t1 - t11) of power reduction in the latter stage of the first time period is 2 - 3 s (seconds).

[0071] In the second time period (t12 - t14), the controller 102 outputs a voltage U1 (U1 < U0) to the heater 103 and continues for a certain time (energy supply time, t12 - t13). At this time, the temperature of the heater 103 rises slightly. When the supplied energy that has been output reaches the set value Q2 (Q2 < Q1) of the second time period, the controller 102 stops the power output for a certain time (natural cooling time, t13 - t14). At this time, the temperature of the heater 103 drops slightly. As shown in Figs. 10A - 10B, in the second time period (t12 - t2), the temperature of the heater 103 changes in a fluctuating manner.

[0072] Here, the operation steps of the second time period may be repeated multiple times, for example, 3 - 5 times. The set energies or the set natural cooling times of multiple second time periods may be the same or different. At this time, if the set energies and their natural cooling times of multiple second time periods are set to be the same, the temperature of the heater 103 will fluctuate up and down within a certain temperature range.

[0073] Here, the total duration of the multiple second time steps is 5 to 8 seconds, and the aerosol-forming substrate can utilize this time to sufficiently absorb heat without generating excessive aerosols.

[0074] In the pre-heating operation stage, the set energy of the first time stage accounts for 80% or more of the total set energy of the entire pre-heating operation stage, which is advantageous for the aerosol-forming substrate to generate the desired aerosol quickly and sufficiently.

[0075] At the end of the second time phase, the pre-heating phase (t0-t2) also officially ends, at which point the inhalation phase (t2-t3) begins, and the controller 102 sends a signal to the user informing them of the start of the inhalation phase.

[0076] 9A-9B show schematic diagrams of various forms of applied voltage during the inhalation actuation phase.

[0077] Similarly, during the suction operation phase, there are multiple time stages (herein referred to as the third time stages) t21,...,t2n,...,t2k, where k is between 6 and 20. The control procedure for the third time stage is the same as that for the second time stage, but the set energy and natural cooling time may be different. Here, the total time for the third time stage is at least 2 seconds, or 2.5 to 5 seconds, or 3 to 4 seconds, and is specifically determined according to the heating and heat retention characteristics of different heating modules.

[0078] As shown in FIGS. 9A-9C, the inhalation operation phase (t2-t3) starts, and the first third time phase (t21) starts. The controller 102 outputs a voltage U21 to the heater 103 and continuously supplies it within the energy supply time (t21-1). The controller 102 synchronously calculates the supplied energy. If the supplied energy meets the set energy Q21, the controller 102 stops the power output for the natural cooling time (t21-2). If the power output stop time meets the preset natural cooling time or if the real-time temperature of the heater 103 at this time reaches the temperature threshold T3, the third time phase (t21) ends, and the second third time phase (t22) begins, and energy supply for the second third time phase (t22) starts.

[0079] Here, in the first third time stage, the temperature of the heater 103 starts to rise slightly until it reaches the temperature threshold T2, and within the natural cooling time, the temperature of the heater 103 drops slightly until it reaches the temperature threshold T3.

[0080] In some embodiments, when energy supply is initiated using the real-time temperature of the heater 103, if an inhalation occurs, the temperature of the heater 103 continues to rise during the energy supply time of the third time stage, but the rate of temperature rise may be slightly slower due to the influence of the inhalation. During the natural cooling time of the third time stage, the temperature of the heater 103 continues to drop, but the rate of temperature drop may be faster due to the influence of the inhalation. However, at this time, if it is recognized that the real-time temperature of the heater 103 has reached the temperature threshold T3, the energy supply for the next third time stage is immediately initiated, and the temperature of the heater 103 immediately rises. In this case, the natural cooling time ends early, the energy supply between multiple third time stages is more compact, and the influence of the inhalation can be eliminated by increasing the number of third time stages, and the temperature of the heater 103 still maintains fluctuations within the temperature range (T2 to T3).

[0081] In some embodiments, when the real-time temperature of the heater 103 is controlled independently, if there is an inhalation, the temperature of the heater 103 still rises during the energy supply period of the third time stage, but the rate of temperature rise may be slightly slower due to the influence of the inhalation. During the natural cooling period of the third time stage, the temperature of the heater 103 still drops, but the rate of temperature drop may be faster due to the influence of the inhalation. Because there is energy supply during at least one third time stage within the duration of one puff of inhalation, the energy loss due to the inhalation is less than the total energy supply during at least one third time stage. Therefore, the temperature of the heater 103 does not drop significantly, and the temperature of the heater 103 can still maintain fluctuations within a small temperature range (T2 to T3). Here, the fluctuation range of the heater 103 may not be consistent.

[0082] Here, the operation step of the third time stage may be repeated multiple times in the inhalation actuation stage, and the transition between multiple third time stages can refer to the transition between t21 and t22.

[0083] 9A to 9C show various situations of energy supply and natural cooling time in a plurality of third time stages.

[0084] 9A, by setting the same set energy for multiple third time stages, different energy supply times, and the same natural cooling time, the temperature fluctuation of the heater 103 in the temperature range (T2-T3) is expressed as a variable frequency. Here, the natural cooling time is related to the heat retention performance of the heating module.

[0085] 9B, by setting the same set energy, the same energy supply time, and the same natural cooling time for multiple third time stages, the temperature fluctuation of the heater 103 in the temperature range (T2-T3) is at a constant frequency. Here, the natural cooling time is related to the heat retention performance of the heating module.

[0086] 9C, by setting different energy settings for multiple third time stages, for example, higher energy settings in the early stages and lower energy settings in the later stages, and setting the same energy supply time and natural cooling time, the temperature fluctuation of the heater 103 in the temperature range (T2-T3) is an expression of variable frequency, and is initially small and then increases, so that sufficient aerosol can be generated in the early stage of the inhalation operation phase. Here, the natural cooling time is related to the heat retention performance of the heating module.

[0087] In some embodiments, a resistive thick-film circumferential heater 103 is used as an example. Because resistive thick-film heaters have characteristics of rapid temperature rise and poor heat retention, the controller 102 enters a preheating operation phase after receiving a heating start command. First, based on the energy set for the first time phase, the output power for the first time phase can be set to approximately 25 W, and the energy supply time can be set to approximately 15 seconds. At this time, the temperature of the heater 103 rises from the initial temperature to 380°C. Next, after the energy supply is stopped for the natural cooling time (approximately 3 seconds) of the first time phase, three to five second time phases are sequentially initiated. For each second time phase, the output power is set to approximately 6 W, the energy supply time is set to approximately 1 second (variable according to the real-time power), and the natural cooling time is set to approximately 3 seconds. After the energy supply for multiple second time phases, the temperature of the heater 103 is approximately 230°C. Then, the suction operation stage begins, and the third time stage is repeated 6 to 20 times, with the output power of each third time stage being approximately 5 W, the energy supply time being approximately 1 to 2 s (which can be changed depending on the real-time power), and the natural cooling time being approximately 3 s, so that the temperature of the heater 103 fluctuates in a wave-like manner around 230°C until the suction operation stage is completed.

[0088] In some embodiments, an infrared circumferential heater 103 is used as an example. Because infrared heaters have the characteristics of slow temperature rise and good heat retention, the controller 102 enters a preheating operation stage after receiving a heating start command. First, based on the set energy of the first time stage, the output power in the first time stage can be set to approximately 35 W, and the energy supply time can be set to approximately 20 seconds. At this time, the temperature of the heater 103 rises from the initial temperature to 280°C. Next, after stopping the energy supply for the natural cooling time (approximately 3 seconds) of the first time stage, three to five second time stages are sequentially started. In each second time stage, the output power is set to approximately 6 W, the energy supply time is set to approximately 1 second (variable depending on the real-time power), and the natural cooling time is set to approximately 4 to 8 seconds. After energy supply for multiple second time stages, the temperature of the heater 103 is approximately 240°C or higher. Then, the suction operation stage begins, and the third time stage is repeated 6 to 20 times, with the output power of each third time stage being approximately 5 W, the energy supply time being approximately 5 s (which can be changed according to the real-time power), and the natural cooling time being approximately 4 s, so that the temperature of the heater 103 fluctuates wavy around 240°C until the suction operation stage is completed.

[0089] In some embodiments, a controller 102 is provided that includes a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and when the processor executes the computer program, the steps of the method for controlling an aerosol generating device in any of the above method embodiments are implemented.

[0090] In some embodiments, a computer-readable storage medium is provided that stores a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements all or part of the steps of the aerosol generating device control method of the above embodiments. All or part of the steps in the above methods can be implemented by associated hardware by issuing instructions to the associated hardware through the computer program. The computer program may be stored in a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium, and when the computer program is executed, the steps of the above method embodiments can be executed. Any reference to memory, storage device, database, or other medium used in the embodiments provided herein may include at least one of non-volatile and volatile memory. Non-volatile memory may include read-only memory (ROM), magnetic tape, floppy disk, flash memory, optical storage, etc. Volatile memory may include random access memory (RAM) or external cache memory. By way of example and not limitation, RAM may be of various types, such as static random access memory (SRAM) or dynamic random access memory (DRAM).

[0091] It should be noted that although the specification and drawings of this application show preferred embodiments of the present application, the present application can be realized in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein, and these embodiments do not further limit the content of the present application. The purpose of providing these embodiments is to make the disclosure of this application more complete and comprehensive. In addition, various embodiments not described above that are formed by subsequently combining the above technical features with each other are all considered to be within the scope of the description of this application. Furthermore, those skilled in the art may make improvements or modifications based on the above description, and all such improvements and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of protection of the claims appended hereto.

Claims

1. 1. A method for controlling an aerosol generating device including a heater for heating an aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol, and a power source for supplying energy to the heater, comprising: and controlling the power source to energize the heater multiple times at multiple time stages after receiving a heating start command, in response to the power source. During one of the time steps, controlling the power source to energize the heater for a current time step includes: controlling the power supply to commence energizing the heater for a current time step; A method for controlling an aerosol generating device, comprising: determining the energy supplied at a current time stage; and, when the supplied energy reaches a set energy corresponding to the current time stage, controlling the power source to stop the energy supply at the current time stage.

2. When the supplied energy reaches a set energy corresponding to the current time step, controlling the power source to stop the energy supply for the current time step; determining a duration for which the power source will cease supplying energy for the current time step; 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: ending a current time stage and entering a next time stage when the duration meets a predetermined natural cooling time of the current time stage.

3. When the supplied energy reaches a set energy corresponding to the current time step, controlling the power source to stop the energy supply for the current time step; Detecting a real-time temperature of the heater; 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: if the real-time temperature drops to a preset low temperature threshold, ending a current time step and entering a next time step.

4. Entering the next time step controlling the power supply to begin energizing the heater for a next time step; determining the energy supplied to the next time step; 4. The method according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising controlling the power source to stop energy supply for a next time step when the supplied energy reaches a set energy corresponding to the next time step.

5. The step of controlling the power source to supply energy to the heater multiple times at multiple time stages after receiving the heating start command is as follows: Entering a pre-heating operation stage after receiving a heating start command; and controlling the power source accordingly to supply energy to the heater during a first time step and a second time step provided in the pre-heating operation step, 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first time step is for enabling the heater to quickly reach the aerosol generating temperature, and the second time step is for maintaining heat transfer between the heater and the aerosol-forming substrate, and the set energy for the first time step is greater than the set energy for the second time step.

6. 6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the set energy of the first time stage accounts for 80% or more of the total set energy of the preheating operation stage.

7. The preheating operation step includes a plurality of second time steps, 6. The method of claim 5, wherein at least two of the second time steps have the same set energy.

8. The preheating operation stage is provided with at least three of the second time stages, or The method of claim 5, wherein the total duration of the plurality of second time steps is 4 to 8 seconds.

9. In the first time step, controlling the power source to energize the heater for a current time step includes: controlling the power supply to output a voltage to the heater such that the output power of a first time step is reduced at least once to initiate energy supply for a current time step; determining the energy supplied in the current time step; 6. The method of claim 5, further comprising: controlling the power source to stop energy supply for a current time step when the supplied energy reaches a set energy corresponding to the current time step.

10. The output power of the first time stage is reduced at least once. The voltage supplied from the power supply to the heater is A gradual reduction over time; A linear decrease over time; It changes in a wave-like pattern over time, 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising controlling the temperature to be at least one of:

11. The step of controlling the power source to supply energy to the heater a plurality of times at a plurality of time stages after receiving the heating start command is performed. Entering an intake operating phase after receiving a heating start command; 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: controlling the power source to energize the heater multiple times during a plurality of third time periods during the inhalation actuation phase.

12. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein at least two of the third time steps in the inhalation actuation phase have the same set energy.

13. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the set energy of at least one third time step in an earlier inhalation actuation phase is greater than the set energy of at least one third time step in a later inhalation actuation phase.

14. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein at least two of the third time stages in the intake operation phase have the same natural cooling time.

15. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein all of the third time steps in the intake operation phase have the same natural cooling time.

16. 12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the natural cooling time of the third time stage with suction operation is shorter than the natural cooling time of the third time stage without suction operation.

17. controlling the power source to initiate energy supply to the heater for a current time step includes:

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling the power supply to initiate energization of the heater for a current time step and for continuous energization.

18. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the duration of the continuous energy supply is an energy supply time, and the energy supply time is 500 ms or more.

19. The step of controlling the power source to supply energy to the heater a plurality of times at a plurality of time stages after receiving the heating start command is performed. After receiving a heating start command, sequentially entering a pre-heating operation stage and a suction operation stage; and controlling the power source to supply energy to the heater in accordance with each of a plurality of time steps of the pre-heating operation phase and the suction operation phase, respectively; 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the sum of the set energy of the plurality of time steps of the suction actuation stage to the sum of the set energy of the plurality of time steps of the pre-heat actuation stage is about 1:1 or about 3:

5.

20. a heater for heating the aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol; a power source for supplying energy to the heater; a controller configured to control the power source to energize the heater multiple times at multiple time stages after receiving a heating start command, During one of the time steps, controlling the power source to energize the heater for a current time step includes: controlling the power supply to commence energizing the heater for a current time step; determining the energy supplied in the current time step; When the supplied energy reaches a set energy corresponding to the current time stage, the power source is controlled to stop the energy supply for the current time stage.

21. 21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the controller is further configured to deenergize the heater at the current time step independently of a real-time temperature of the heater.

22. 21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the controller is further configured to initiate energy supply to the heater for a next time step by determining that the duration of stopping energy supply for a current time step has reached a natural cooling time for the current time step.

23. 21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the controller is further configured to initiate a next time step of energizing the heater independent of a real-time temperature of the heater at the current time step.

24. a heater for heating the aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol; a power source for supplying energy to the heater; and a controller configured to control the power source to supply energy to the heater at multiple time stages after receiving a heating start command, based on the set energy and natural cooling time for each time stage.

25. a heater for heating the aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol; a power source for supplying energy to the heater; a controller configured to control the power source to supply energy to the heater in a plurality of time stages of the inhalation actuation phase according to a set energy and a natural cooling time for each time stage; An aerosol generating device, characterized in that at least two of the time stages have the same set energy and natural cooling time.

26. further comprising a temperature sensor for detecting a real-time temperature of the heater; 26. The device of claim 25, wherein during the inhalation actuation phase, the real-time temperature is in a variable representation.

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